The first part of the 2008 master training of trainers (MTOT) activities was held in Longjing (June 11th -13th, 2008). This workshop is the second of a series of activities provided to MTOT trainees, aiming to upgrade their skills in designing training activities, strengthen their capacities to incorporate OIE standards into their training job requirements, and to build proficiency in the use of participatory educational methods while developing technical training materials.

Participants, included 12 men 7 women, 11 minorities and 8 Han nationalities, from the Animal Husbandry Bureau (AHB), Epidemic Prevention and Control Center, Animal Disease Supervision and Quarantine Institute, veterinary stations in Yanbian prefecture and other counties of the region. Most of the participants have experience in training animal health workers (AHW). Mr. Liu Quiqiu and Mr. Sun Tongshun, Deputy Head of Yanbian AHB, Mr. Jin Chengfang, Deputy Head of Longjing AHB, demonstrated great interest in the training activities and participated actively in discussions related to the selection of objectives and contents of the training material to be developed. The following five subjects were selected to meet the local livestock development needs: “Poultry Diseases Prevention and Breeding Management”, “Dairy Disease Prevention and Breeding Management”, “Beef Cattle Disease Prevention and Breeding Management”, “ Basic Knowledge on Disease Prevention and Control to Train Village AHWs”, as well as “Training on the New Animal Disease Prevention” Law. These topics were assigned 5 teams.

Canadian Curriculum Development Livestock Specialist, Lynda Nicholls and In-China MTOT Coordinator, Wu Jie delivered the lectures on participatory methods to develop training material. The veterinary medicine technical presentations were given by Gao Jianhong, (CTA LHESP Jilin) and Lynda, Nicholls. Each team prepared a training course outline, which will be brought back to their place of work and, in preparation for the next face of the MTOT, the trainees, coached by the education specialists, will continue to develop training material. The trainees felt that the participatory training was an effective way of adult education to improve the skills of trainers that can be used in their future trainings of AHW and farmers.

During the training, the teams finished the outline development using the tools learned and, during the workshop, some of the training materials were drafted. Among others, the curriculum development for“ Basic Knowledge on Disease Prevention and Control for Training Village AHWs”. On June 24, 2008, the first presentation to Hunchun village AHWs was delivered by Mr. Zhang Kui, Deputy Director of Epidemic Disease Prevention and Control Center of Yanbian, who was one of the MTOT participants and team leaders. This presentation was very successful.